Volume 4, Book 55, Number 582:
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:
The Prophet said, “May Allah bestow His Mercy on the mother of Ishmael! Had she not hastened
(to fill her water-skin with water from the Zam-zam well). Zam-zam would have been a stream
flowing on the surface of the earth.” Ibn ‘Abbas further added, “(The Prophet) Abraham brought Ish –
mael and his mother (to Mecca) and she was suckling Ishmael and she had a water-skin with her.’

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 583:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
The first lady to use a girdle was the mother of Ishmael. She used a girdle so that she might hide
her tracks from Sarah. Abraham brought her and her son Ishmael while she was suckling him, to a
place near the Ka’ba under a tree on the spot of Zam-zam, at the highest place in the mosque. Dur –
ing those days there was nobody in Mecca, nor was there any water So he made them sit over there
and placed near them a leather bag containing some dates, and a small water-skin containing some
water, and set out homeward. Ishmael’s mother followed him saying, “O Abraham! Where are you
going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there
anything (to enjoy)?” She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her Then she
asked him, “Has Allah ordered you to do so?” He said, “Yes.” She said, “Then He will not neglect us,”
and returned while Abraham proceeded onwards, and on reaching the Thaniya where they could
not see him, he faced the Ka’ba, and raising both hands, invoked Allah saying the following prayers:
‘O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sac –
red House (Kaba at Mecca) in order, O our Lord, that they may offer prayer perfectly. So fill some
hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits, so that they may
give thanks.’ (14.37) Ishmael’s mother went on suckling Ishmael and drinking from the water (she
had).
When the water in the water-skin had all been used up, she became thirsty and her child also be –
came thirsty. She started looking at him (i.e. Ishmael) tossing in agony; She left him, for she could not
endure looking at him, and found that the mountain of Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that
land. She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she
Volume 4 – 780 / 1700
SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 4 > BOOK 55: PROPHETS
could not see anybody. Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she tucked
up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and
reached the Marwa mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but
she could not see anybody. She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwa) seven times.”
The Prophet said, “This is the source of the tradition of the walking of people between them (i.e.
Safa and Marwa). When she reached the Marwa (for the last time) she heard a voice and she asked
herself to be quiet and listened attentively. She heard the voice again and said, ‘O, (whoever you may
be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?” And behold! She saw
an angel at the place of Zam-zam, digging the earth with his heel (or his wing), till water flowed
from that place. She started to make something like a basin around it, using her hand in this way,
and started filling her water-skin with water with her hands, and the water was flowing out after
she had scooped some of it.”
The Prophet added, “May Allah bestow Mercy on Ishmael’s mother! Had she let the Zam-zam
(flow without trying to control it) (or had she not scooped from that water) (to fill her water-skin),
Zam-zam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth.” The Prophet further added,
“Then she drank (water) and suckled her child. The angel said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid of being neg –
lected, for this is the House of Allah which will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah never
neglects His people.’ The House (i.e. Kaba) at that time was on a high place resembling a hillock, and
when torrents came, they flowed to its right and left. She lived in that way till some people from the
tribe of Jurhum or a family from Jurhum passed by her and her child, as they (i.e. the Jurhum
people) were coming through the way of Kada’. They landed in the lower part of Mecca where they
saw a bird that had the habit of flying around water and not leaving it. They said, ‘This bird must be
flying around water, though we know that there is no water in this valley.’ They sent one or two
messengers who discovered the source of water, and returned to inform them of the water. So, they
all came (towards the water).” The Prophet added, “Ishmael’s mother was sitting near the water. They
asked her, ‘Do you allow us to stay with you?” She replied, ‘Yes, but you will have no right to possess
the water.’ They agreed to that.” The Prophet further said, “Ishmael’s mother was pleased with the
whole situation as she used to love to enjoy the company of the people. So, they settled there, and
later on they sent for their families who came and settled with them so that some families became
permanent residents there. The child (i.e. Ishmael) grew up and learnt Arabic from them and (his
virtues) caused them to love and admire him as he grew up, and when he reached the age of puberty
they made him marry a woman from amongst them.
After Ishmael’s mother had died, Abraham came after Ishmael’s marriage in order to see his family
that he had left before, but he did not find Ishmael there. When he asked Ishmael’s wife about him,
she replied, ‘He has gone in search of our livelihood.’ Then he asked her about their way of living and
their condition, and she replied, ‘We are living in misery; we are living in hardship and destitution,’
complaining to him. He said, ‘When your husband returns, convey my salutation to him and tell him
to change the threshold of the gate (of his house).’ When Ishmael came, he seemed to have felt some –
Volume 4 – 781 / 1700
SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 4 > BOOK 55: PROPHETS
thing unusual, so he asked his wife, ‘Has anyone visited you?’ She replied, ‘Yes, an old man of so-
and-so description came and asked me about you and I informed him, and he asked about our state
of living, and I told him that we were living in a hardship and poverty.’ On that Ishmael said, ‘Did he
advise you anything?’ She replied, ‘Yes, he told me to convey his salutation to you and to tell you to
change the threshold of your gate.’ Ishmael said, ‘It was my father, and he has ordered me to divorce
you. Go back to your family.’ So, Ishmael divorced her and married another woman from amongst
them (i.e. Jurhum).
Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished and called on them
again but did not find Ishmael. So he came to Ishmael’s wife and asked her about Ishmael. She said,
‘He has gone in search of our livelihood.’ Abraham asked her, ‘How are you getting on?’ asking her
about their sustenance and living. She replied, ‘We are prosperous and well-off (i.e. we have
everything in abundance).’ Then she thanked Allah’ Abraham said, ‘What kind of food do you eat?’
She said. ‘Meat.’ He said, ‘What do you drink?’ She said, ‘Water.” He said, “O Allah! Bless their meat
and water.” The Prophet added, “At that time they did not have grain, and if they had grain, he would
have also invoked Allah to bless it.” The Prophet added, “If somebody has only these two things as his
sustenance, his health and disposition will be badly affected, unless he lives in Mecca.” The Prophet
added,” Then Abraham said Ishmael’s wife, “When your husband comes, give my regards to him and
tell him that he should keep firm the threshold of his gate.’ When Ishmael came back, he asked his
wife, ‘Did anyone call on you?’ She replied, ‘Yes, a good-looking old man came to me,’ so she praised
him and added. ‘He asked about you, and I informed him, and he asked about our livelihood and I
told him that we were in a good condition.’ Ishmael asked her, ‘Did he give you any piece of advice?’
She said, ‘Yes, he told me to give his regards to you and ordered that you should keep firm the
threshold of your gate.’ On that Ishmael said, ‘It was my father, and you are the threshold (of the
gate). He has ordered me to keep you with me.’
Then Abraham stayed away from them for a period as long as Allah wished, and called on them
afterwards. He saw Ishmael under a tree near Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw Abra –
ham, he rose up to welcome him (and they greeted each other as a father does with his son or a son
does with his father). Abraham said, ‘O Ishmael! Allah has given me an order.’ Ishmael said, ‘Do what
your Lord has ordered you to do.’ Abraham asked, ‘Will you help me?’ Ishmael said, ‘I will help you.’
Abraham said, Allah has ordered me to build a house here,’ pointing to a hillock higher than the land
surrounding it.” The Prophet added, “Then they raised the foundations of the House (i.e. the Ka’ba).
Ishmael brought the stones and Abraham was building, and when the walls became high, Ishmael
brought this stone and put it for Abraham who stood over it and carried on building, while Ishmael
was handing him the stones, and both of them were saying, ‘O our Lord! Accept (this service) from
us, Verily, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.’ The Prophet added, “Then both of them went
on building and going round the Ka’ba saying: O our Lord ! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You
are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (2.127)
Volume 4 – 782 / 1700
SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 4 > BOOK 55: PROPHETS

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 568:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
The Prophet said, “You will be gathered (on the Day of Judgment), bare-footed, naked and not cir –
cumcised.” He then recited:–‘As We began the first creation, We, shall repeat it: A Promise We have
undertaken: Truly we shall do it.’ (21.104) He added, “The first to be dressed on the Day of Resurrec –
tion, will be Abraham, and some of my companions will be taken towards the left side (i.e. to the
(Hell) Fire), and I will say: ‘My companions! My companions!’ It will be said: ‘They renegade from Is –
lam after you left them.’ Then I will say as the Pious slave of Allah (i.e. Jesus) said. ‘And I was a wit –
Volume 4 – 776 / 1700
SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 4 > BOOK 55: PROPHETS
ness Over them while I dwelt amongst them. When You took me up You were the Watcher over
them, And You are a witness to all things. If You punish them. They are Your slaves And if You for –
give them, Verily you, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (5.120-121)

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 584:
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
When Abraham had differences with his wife), (because of her jealousy of Hajar, Ishmael’s moth –
er), he took Ishmael and his mother and went away. They had a water-skin with them containing
some water, Ishmael’s mother used to drink water from the water-skin so that her milk would in –
crease for her child. When Abraham reached Mecca, he made her sit under a tree and afterwards
returned home. Ishmael’s mother followed him, and when they reached Kada’, she called him from
behind, ‘O Abraham! To whom are you leaving us?’ He replied, ‘(I am leaving you) to Allah’s (Care).’
She said, ‘I am satisfied to be with Allah.’ She returned to her place and started drinking water from
the water-skin, and her milk increased for her child. When the water had all been used up, she said
to herself, ‘I’d better go and look so that I may see somebody.’ She ascended the Safa mountain and
looked, hoping to see somebody, but in vain. When she came down to the valley, she ran till she
reached the Marwa mountain. She ran to and fro (between the two mountains) many times. They she
said to herself, ‘i’d better go and see the state of the child,’ she went and found it in a state of one on
the point of dying. She could not endure to watch it dying and said (to herself), ‘If I go and look, I
may find somebody.’ She went and ascended the Safa mountain and looked for a long while but
could not find anybody. Thus she completed seven rounds (of running) between Safa and Marwa.
Again she said (to herself), ‘I’d better go back and see the state of the child.’ But suddenly she heard a
voice, and she said to that strange voice, ‘Help us if you can offer any help.’ Lo! It was Gabriel (who
had made the voice). Gabriel hit the earth with his heel like this (Ibn ‘Abbas hit the earth with his
heel to Illustrate it), and so the water gushed out. Ishmael’s mother was astonished and started dig –
ging. (Abu Al-Qasim) (i.e. the Prophet) said, “If she had left the water, (flow naturally without her in –
tervention), it would have been flowing on the surface of the earth.”) Ishmael’s mother started drink –
ing from the water and her milk increased for her child . Afterwards some people of the tribe of
Jurhum, while passing through the bottom of the valley, saw some birds, and that astonished them,
and they said, ‘Birds can only be found at a place where there is water.’ They sent a messenger who
searched the place and found the water, and returned to inform them about it. Then they all went to
her and said, ‘O ishmael’s mother! Will you allow us to be with you (or dwell with you)?’ (And thus
they stayed there.) Later on her boy reached the age of puberty and married a lady from them. Then
an idea occurred to Abraham which he disclosed to his wife (Sarah), ‘I want to call on my depend –
ents I left (at Mecca).’ When he went there, he greeted (Ishmael’s wife) and said, ‘Where is Ishmael?’
She replied, ‘He has gone out hunting.’ Abraham said (to her), ‘When he comes, tell him to change
the threshold of his gate.’ When he came, she told him the same whereupon Ishmael said to her, ‘You
are the threshold, so go to your family (i.e. you are divorced).’ Again Abraham thought of visiting his
dependents whom he had left (at Mecca), and he told his wife (Sarah) of his intentions. Abraham
came to Ishmael’s house and asked. “Where is Ishmael?” Ishmael’s wife replied, “He has gone out
hunting,” and added, “Will you stay (for some time) and have something to eat and drink?’ Abraham
asked, ‘What is your food and what is your drink?’ She replied, ‘Our food is meat and our drink is
Volume 4 – 783 / 1700
SAHIH BUKHARI VOLUME 4 > BOOK 55: PROPHETS
water.’ He said, ‘O Allah! Bless their meals and their drink.” Abu Al-Qa-sim (i.e. Prophet) said, “Be –
cause of Abraham’s invocation there are blessings (in Mecca).” Once more Abraham thought of visit –
ing his family he had left (at Mecca), so he told his wife (Sarah) of his decision. He went and found
Ishmael behind the Zam-zam well, mending his arrows. He said, “O Ishmael, Your Lord has ordered
me to build a house for Him.” Ishmael said, “Obey (the order of) your Lord.” Abraham said, “Allah has
also ordered me that you should help me therein.” Ishmael said, “Then I will do.” So, both of them
rose and Abraham started building (the Ka’ba) while Ishmael went on handing him the stones, and
both of them were saying, “O our Lord ! Accept (this service) from us, Verily, You are the All-Hear –
ing, the All-Knowing.” (2.127). When the building became high and the old man (i.e. Abraham)
could no longer lift the stones (to such a high position), he stood over the stone of Al-Maqam and
Ishmael carried on handing him the stones, and both of them were saying, ‘O our Lord! Accept (this
service) from us, Verily You are All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (2.127)